A Novel Approach using Blue Mind Science By Tracey Chester, LMFT, CCTP Founder and Director of the Pain Trauma Institute In the summer and fall of 2023 an innovative study was born, “Project Stoke” (Surfing Therapy with the Ocean and Kinesthetic Engineering). Project Stoke is a collaboration between the Pain Trauma Institute (PTI) and […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Pasadena Pelvic pain knowledge is improving, but not as quickly as desired by suffering patients. Many of our page followers might have some or all conditions shown. Researchers and NIH now term them Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions (COPCs). Imagine if these symptoms and diagnoses were interconnected. Endometriosis, diagnosed […]
By Cambria Oetken, PHRC Westlake Village June is Men’s Health month, and men suffer from pelvic pain too. Research shows that up to 16% of men suffer from Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS) at some point in their life. However, we suspect this number is lower than the actual prevalence because it is […]
By Emily Tran In the realm of chronic pain management, the intricate link between physical suffering and mental well-being cannot be overstated. Mental health counselors specializing in chronic pain populations often emphasize that chronic pain is more than a physical condition; it deeply impacts one’s mental health, potentially leading to or worsening conditions such […]
By PHRC Admin In a world where we’re accustomed to physical discomfort being temporary, it’s hard to imagine what living with chronic pain feels like. It’s not just an ongoing ache or discomfort. It’s a complex, multifaceted experience that can seep into every aspect of life, making even the simplest tasks daunting. Explaining chronic pain […]
By: Morgan Conner, DPT, PHRC Los Gatos In October I had the pleasure of attending the International Pelvic Pain Society’s Scientific Meeting with a number of my colleagues here at PHRC. On the second day of the main conference, Catherine Allaire MDCM, FRCSC gave the James E. Carter keynote lecture titled Endometriosis: Towards Prevention of […]
By: Maryssa Steffen, DPT, PHRC Berkeley If you experience pelvic pain, are you aware of how your sleep quality may play a part? A 2015 national poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that “64% of those suffering chronic pain, and 54% of those with acute pain, report co-occurring poor sleep quality.”1 Everyone needs seven […]
By: Elizabeth Akincilar, PHRC Cofounder For some of you reading this, October conjures images of autumn leaves, Halloween, and pumpkin spiced…everything. For me, there’s one additional thing that I associate with October. The Annual International Pelvic Pain Society Scientific Meeting. Every October, for the past 13 years, I’ve attended and participated in this meeting. […]
By: Kim Buonomo, PT, DPT, PHRC Lexington At the International Pelvic Pain Society’s annual meeting I had the great opportunity to listen to two presenters discuss the role of medications in managing pelvic pain. In this blog, I’ll be talking about Dr. Stephen Ziegler PhD, JD from Purdue University’s lecture regarding the opioid epidemic […]
Introduction by Melinda Fontaine, article by guest bloggers Eloise Theisen, AGPCNP-BC and Timothy Byars From Melinda: For years, I have seen my patients using cannabis to treat a variety of conditions. A common complaint is the lack of guidance to do so. Recently, I found a medical professional who is not afraid to make specific […]
By Elizabeth Akincilar Mindfulness meditation. Even if you’re not exactly sure what it is, I’m going to bet you’ve heard of it. It has gotten a lot of attention recently. It’s everywhere. It’s not like the mediation of 20 years ago. Back then meditation was considered “alternative” or “fringe” that few people practiced, especially in […]
It should be a surprise to no one that we are in the middle of a serious, nationwide opioid epidemic. And to top that off, a crisis on opioid overdose. Did you know that on average 115 Americans die each day from opioid overdose?2 In October 2017, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public […]
By Jessica Newman, LMHC Living with persistent pelvic pain is, by definition, painful physically. What can be hard to talk about (especially for folks with pelvic pain) is just how emotionally distressing the pain is. And because the mind and body are a functional whole (think: a Mobius strip) emotional distress can trigger or […]
This week guest blogger Lorraine Faehndrich talks about the role emotional awareness plays in the healing process. Here’s what she has to say: By Lorraine Faehndrich Persistent pelvic pain can, and often does, have an emotional component. The pelvis is a part of the body that for many reasons tends to hold emotion, and when that […]
By Stephanie Prendergast Vaginal pain. Burning with urination. Post-ejaculatory pain. Constipation. Genital pain following bowel movements. Pelvic pain that prevents sitting, exercising, wearing pants and having pleasurable intercourse. When a person develops these symptoms, physical and occupational therapy is not the first avenue of treatment they turn to for help. In fact, physical and […]
